


Piece by Piece

by bloodandcream



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dean and Anna are a pair here too just briefly and vaguely, M/M, and Sam likes weird, cas is weird
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-15
Updated: 2014-08-15
Packaged: 2018-02-13 05:53:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2139501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodandcream/pseuds/bloodandcream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU, Sam is a doctor at an abortion clinic and Castiel is the brother of a patient. But then Sam meets Cas at a farmers market, and he needs to know more. Like how Cas teaches yoga and works at Laser Quest, and how he has three cockatiels, and why he makes Sam giddy again for all the right reasons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Piece by Piece

**Author's Note:**

> Abortion is a topic in here and this is decidedly pro-choice.

Sam scrubbed down counters and organized supplies with his restless energy. They were having another slow day at the clinic, thanks to yet another massive crowd of protestors trying to physically block anyone who needed to get in it. They waved around their giant signs decorated with the most bloody and extreme examples of abortions they could possibly have found for the shock value of it, shouting and harassing the few people that approached. Some few desperate or determined people had made it through, but the judgment and vitriol the protestors spewed was, unfortunately, a very real deterrent for women that needed the services.

He was sick of the whole argument and the politics and the protestors, but Sam was stubborn and he knew he was providing something desperately needed and that he had the mental fortitude to make it through the wall of protestors day in and day out when they set up camp. The numbers came and went, in the months he’d been working at the clinic there had been weeks at a time that no one stood outside waving signs, but whenever it came up in the news or there was some new political battle, the protestors made an appearance.

He heard the shouting from outside before he heard the little ding from the motion sensor at the door signaling someone had arrived. Jo worked the front desk, she would explain the paperwork and get them into the system, but it was a slow day so Sam made his way to the front too, to help where he could and introduce himself.

It was a couple in the lobby, a young red-headed woman looking exhausted but resolute, and a very pissed looking guy in a trench coat. It was good to see women coming in with their boyfriends or husbands for support. And Sam was sure that the guy was pissed at the protestors for the looks he kept shooting back at the door and the small windows to the outside.

After they’d passed the paperwork back to Jo for processing, Sam walked up to them and extended his hand.

"Hi, sorry about the protestors, there’s not really much we can do about them. I’m Dr. Winchester, you can call me Sam."

The red head extender her hand and almost smiled at him. That was what he liked most about being able to do work like this. People always said he was charismatic and friendly, that he had a way of putting everyone at ease. It was a valuable trait to have here.

"Anna."

"It’s nice to meet you."

He shook her hand, and reached out to the guy. Sam noticed that neither of them wore wedding rings.

"Castiel. I’m Anna’s brother."

Sam nodded, Castiel’s handshake was firm. Brother then; well having family support meant a whole lot too. He’d seen parents come in, siblings, husbands, boyfriends and girlfriends, best friends and even co-workers. There were some women who came alone, and he wasn’t technically supposed to provide services if someone didn’t have a ride home because they couldn’t drive afterward, but he’d called cabs and helped paid for them too if necessary.

Taking Castiel and Anna back to a generic check up room, Sam went over the procedure and the after care, giving out sheets of information. Everyone who came through their doors would already have been to a doctor and to a psychologist, the rigorous state requirements for determining soundness of mind and body. Although the principle of it Sam could understand, the execution of it was an undue strain that only served to keep women from ever reaching his clinic. There was a lot of misinformation along the way, and he tried to clarify, professionally and scientifically, what exactly the procedure entailed.

It was a confusing experience – overwhelming - for anyone. He understood that. But he tried to provide what clarification he could. Anna followed along well, a bit quiet, but her brother Castiel seemed to be very invested in the role of caretaker. He asked questions and challenged Sam, making sure he had his information right.

Sam knew, without a doubt, it was morally, professionally, and just plain common sense, that it was wrong to be attracted to any of the patients he had. But….. he was kind of wondering if a patient’s brother was a no go.

Once they’d covered everything, Castiel was sent back to the waiting room. The procedure didn’t take long, Sam staying with Anna while she recovered enough to go home. He always walked out with his clients, even if they had friends or family there for support. Although he could be friendly and put people at ease, he could also be intimidating. And being harassed by the protestors when you’re sore and tired - Sam just didn’t understand why those people couldn’t be a little more compassionate.

But of course today they were all riled up and started shouting at Castiel and Anna when they left. Sam tried to politely ask them to clear away. One particularly vicious old man started to get in her face but before Sam could step nearer, Castiel punched him square in the nose and neatly sidestepped him, guiding Anna while the whole crowd stood momentarily stunned and quiet.

Sam was inappropriately impressed.

—-

"Oh man Dean, you shoulda seen it. I think he broke the guys nose. I’ve never seen a whole group of protestors go so quiet."

“Yeah, well that’s what those fucking assholes deserve.”

Sam tipped back his beer, slouching in the kitchen chair while Dean grabbed another slice of pizza out of the box. They still shared an apartment. When Sam was in med-school Dean would make jokes that he’d be living in Sam’s pool house in a few years. But then Sam went on the not so lucrative job of working in free community clinics and then the abortion clinic. So, he and Dean were still living in a two bedroom apartment together.

"If nosy know-it-all self righteous pricks that like couldn’t get all up in people’s business like that, Lisa probably wouldn’t have kept our kid."

Sam just nodded, that was a sore topic he wasn’t interested in drawing out more than it needed to be.

"Can you believe her new boyfriend is trying to edge me out of my weekend visits? Fucker thinks he can scare me away."

"How’s Ben doing anyway?"

Switching the topic from Lisa and her love interests to the kid was always the right maneuver. Sam would never regret his line of work or question other people’s decisions, but honestly, for as tough as it was he had to say that Dean just beamed when it came to talking about his kid.

"Dude, he is shooting up like a weed. Runt is almost as high as my waist now, would you believe?"

Sam reached for another beer and kept prodding Dean along in conversation. He didn’t get to see his nephew very often, which he kind of got, it wasn’t like Dean even got to see Ben very much. But he was a cute kid. Funny too. And he really took after Dean way too much.

Finding himself zoning out a little, thinking about blue eyes and those slender hands, Sam was snapped back to the conversation by Dean who was looking at him with a questioning ‘earth to Sam’ expression.

"I really need to get out. I shouldn’t be thinking of asking for anyone's phone number who comes through our doors.”

"He wasn’t a patient, I don’t see what’s wrong with it."

"Dude, not the time for it. So inappropriate."

Dean shrugged and slurped a rogue strand of cheese off his chin.

"I just don’t understand what makes anyone think they should have a say like that in someone else’s life, and what they do with their body."

"I know. I could maybe be a little more empathetic if the people in front of our building weren’t also the same ones shouting about how welfare is ruining our country and single mother’s just need to make better decisions and work harder."

"At least there’s fine people like you out there, fighting the good fight."

"If you listened to some of them, you might think I was Satan’s own right hand man."

"Well I know you’re made of tougher shit than those fuckers can dish out. We’re Winchesters dammit."

"Damn straight."

Sam leaned forward to clink the neck of his beer bottle against Dean’s in a toast. Ah the bachelor life, pizza and beer and no motivation to mingle with humanity after a long day of work. Sam needed sleep more than he needed a good lay anyway.

—-

It was rare that Sam recognized any of his patients outside of the clinic. They were one of few clinics in their state that had passed all government requirements to be able to provide services, so they tended to get people from all around. But those few times that Sam recognized someone, well they usually pretended not to recognize him. That was all right, it was understandable.

Of course it would happen that Sam saw someone he didn’t want to ignore him almost a week after said person had escorted his sister to the clinic and punched a protestor. With a basket full of bright fruit on his arm at the weekly farmer’s market downtown, Sam recognized Mr. Scruffy Badass knocking on a melon, his head tilted to the side and eyes squinted while he listened to it. He just looked so serious about the importance of picking out the best melon that Sam couldn’t help laughing.

Of course the guy heard him.

And turned what looked like a still bed tousled hair and hadn’t shaved for a few days head right towards Sam. Coughing into his fist, he attempted to cover up that he got caught staring - and laughing - at the stranger he’d maybe kind of definitely been thinking about over the last week.

Castiel didn’t turn and walkway or shuffled awkwardly, he paid for the melon in his hands and walked towards Sam.

"Dr Winchester -"

“It’s just Sam.”

“Sam. Hello. It’s nice to see you.”

"Yeah, you too."

Sam would offer his hand to shake, but Cas was cradling his melon.

"I feel I should apologize. I did not cause any trouble for the clinic the other day, did I?"

"What? No, no it’s cool. I think the guy wanted to try and press charges, but honestly, the only way they get away with protesting outside our clinic is cause it’s public space. He couldn’t sue the clinic or anything if he wanted to."

"That’s good. I didn’t mean to cause a scene."

"Dude, it’s cool it actually made my day."

Cas squinted at him, a small frown on his face.

"I mean, not like I like violence or anything, you know, it’s just that I have to listen to those assholes day in and day out and my patients do not deserve what they get put through, so, yeah, it was kind of satisfying to watch."

The corners of Cas’ eyes crinkled a little like he was fighting a smile.

"In that case, I’m glad I could be of service."

Sam shuffled awkwardly, think about Castiel and his ‘services’, the both of them quiet in the bustle of the farmers market.

"So, not to pry, but how’s Anna?"

"Oh she’s doing well. Thank you for asking."

Sam nodded, switching his basket from one arm to the next. Cas was wearing his trench coat, despite the clear sunny day, but he had on a faded tee and jeans riddled with holes underneath. The look was a little strange, but didn’t deter Sam. It was weird, how just a few hours with a person could have you wondering about their job, their hobbies, what kind of movies they liked to watch, whether they drank tea or coffee, if they were a cat or dog person.

Aw crap. Sam had a crush.

"So, listen, uh, maybe…. would you like to get coffee sometime?"

"Are you asking me on a date?"

"Uh… no? I mean, if it’s inappropriate, or, oh you don’t swing that way do -"

“I would very much like to get coffee with you.”

“Really?”

"Yes. As a date."

Sam really, really needed to invite this guy to Dean’s poker night sometime, because he could not get a read on the dude’s face at all.

"Ok, cool. Are you free tomorrow?"

—-

Castiel was, as it turned out, free on Sunday. They met at a small local shop that Sam had been going to since he was sixteen. It turned out that Castiel did not have a clerical type job despite his seriousness and his trench coat. He was a yoga instructor part time, and worked at Laser Quest on Fridays and Saturdays. That was, not what Sam had expected. But a whole lot of Castiel surprised him. Castiel enjoyed gardening and painting. He wasn’t a fan of modern cinema, but liked indie films and old silent movies. He didn’t have a preference as to coffee or tea. And he didn’t have dogs or cats, rather, he kept birds.

Sam may have been a touch smitten. He tried to play it cool, or, at the very least play it ‘not obsessive’, going a few rounds of chess with Cas while they drank coffee and chatted. It felt like Sam should of been a little more intimidated or put off by how stoic and awkward Cas was, but he felt like he wasn’t getting near any idea of the whole picture so he decided he needed to see more.

—-

Cas had convinced Sam to attend a free yoga hour he taught in the parks on Wednesday night. Sam bought a mat and showed up to a decent crowd of mostly girls but some guys, smiling in the sun and talking about quinoa and chia and other things Sam didn’t recognize. He considered himself a fit guy, he ran every morning and did calisthenics. But he apparently wasn’t very bendy. Not like these people. It made him both slightly embarrassed and somewhat envious.

The yoga also did not help his crush on Cas at all. Or his need to get laid.

But Cas gave him a wide smile that he’d never seen, or thought the guy was capable of, that made the corners of his eyes crinkle and Sam was hooked. He’d eventually learn that Cas only smiled like that when he was at his most relaxed. And yoga relaxed him. Yoga even relaxed Sam as he continued attending week after week. When he started doing it by himself in his bedroom throughout the week, he found himself dealing with stress at work a lot better too.

And he was getting bendier.

Of course Dean would barge into his room one of the mornings he was in a downward dog position and laugh at him.

"Oh dude you are so far gone. Picking up yoga for this guy huh?"

"Hey, don’t mock it, it’s relaxing."

“Twisting into a pretzel doesn’t sound or look relaxing.”

Sam straightened up and put on his totally serious face.

"Just think of all the new sex positions you’d be capable of if you did a little yoga."

Dean’s face went through one of those contortions it did when he couldn’t seem to settle on a reaction and it cycled like a slot machine through different options.

"…… so you guys meet in the park on Wednesday huh?"

—-

Sam, and even Dean a few times, did yoga on Wednesday’s. Usually every Sunday he’d go on a date with Cas too. And they texted throughout the week. There were even a few slightly flirtatious skype calls.

Cas did make it over for a poker night, when Sam gave him the puppy dog eyes. But he didn’t fare too well, and not because he didn’t have the perfect poker face. He just kept throwing hands because he was completely unconcerned with winning, and more interested in divesting Dean of all the embarrassing kid Sam stories that his big brother had to dish out.

Maybe Sam shouldn’t have invited him over when he could ply Dean with liquor for blackmail material like that.

—-

Sam met Anna again, when he and Cas went out to a dance performance at a local theatre. Cas had failed to mention to Sam that his sister was one of the dancers in the performance, but it must have been due to what Sam was noticing with increasing frequency was Castiel’s tendency towards forgetfulness, or maybe it was just a different sense of what information was important to relay and what wasn’t.

Anna was a beautiful dancer, graceful and powerful and even from halfway back in the theatre Sam could get all the emotions she put into her performance. Cas was quiet and reserved, until after the show when he beamed and clapped loudly for his sister. The three of them went out for smoothies afterward.

The more he and Cas hung out, the more Sam saw of Anna. Just like the more of Cas that Dean was getting to see too. They were both close to their siblings. Or, at least Anna was the one sibling Cas was close to. Sam had learned that Cas had a really big family, nine kids in all, but that for the most part he didn’t have any contact with any of them except for Anna. Most of their large family were ultra conservative, but there were fractures and kids that had just ran away. Sam didn’t pry too much, Cas tended to get a pinched look on his face and withdraw any time they talked about family. And that was fine by Sam, he wasn’t too fond of dredging up his past either.

Sam liked Castiel’s sister. She was enthusiastic and kind and funny. She was so different from the first time Sam had met her, and he was glad for that. For the smile she gave away so freely, and the way she laughed with her head tipped back. He liked how she could drag smiles out of Cas with practiced ease too.

So of course it was inevitable that Anna and Dean would eventually meet too. And Sam was not in the least surprised to find her in one of his brother’s big t-shirts one morning, scooping grinds into the coffee pot, with hickey’s on her neck. She just smiled at Sam, and he asked if she could add enough for him to the pot. They ate scrambled eggs together when Dean finally stumbled out of his bedroom and pulled her into a tight hug that lifted her off the floor, accompanied by her giggling, and Sam smiling around his coffee cup to see Dean light up like that again.

—-

Eventually, after Sam stopped stuttering and blushing and tripping over his own two feet around Cas, he got bold enough to advance their relationship into hand holding and cheek kissing and even just a little bit of butt touching.

Sam liked that last one.

He couldn’t help finding himself wondering - especially during Wednesday yoga - if Cas was a top or a bottom. Both would be nice. Definitely very nice. But there was so much more from Cas that he wanted, every time he turned over a stone to find out what was underneath he just found more stones. The guy was complex, and smart, and really scatterbrained. He was compassionate and sweet and clueless too.

More than his sex preferences, Sam wanted to pick his brain. After their coffee dates and outings to the museums and parks turned to knowing where each other lived and casual hang out nights at each other’s apartments, Sam found himself just staying up all night with Cas talking.

Well, once he got over the three cockatiels flying around Cas’ apartment, and Cas stopped laughing at him for being startled by them that is.

Cas got riled up about the same things Sam did, about minimum wage and the separation of church and state and the war in the middle east. He was also passionate about things Sam never knew about, like the declining population of the honey bee and driving out to the country for meteor showers and learning how to braid hair just so he could play with Sam’s. And Dean was never, ever going to see the photos for that last one.

—-

Eventually Sam and Cas started spending so much time together that they each had a toothbrush at the other’s apartment, and there were shirts Sam would never fit in his laundry, and that one book he thought was lost was in fact on Cas’ coffee table.

The offer was extended for Sam to move in with Cas. He lived alone and although the apartment was perhaps a bit small for two people, they didn’t mind being in each other’s spaces. Sam was, however, loathe to leave his brother in a tight spot with having to pay the full rent on his apartment alone or find a new place.

Dean tried to shoo Sam off and tell him that it wouldn’t be a problem. But Sam knew how much Dean made working at the auto shop, and as tempting as it was he was not going to just leave his brother high and dry.

The matter conveniently solved itself when Anna overheard them talking one night they were all together for dinner. She got a pretty little glint in her eyes, and Dean caught on right away, perking up and asking out of the blue if she wanted to move in with him.

Sam thought it might be a bit fast for the two of them, but Dean never did take much slow in life.

They all helped Anna move in, and she set up tables of art supplies in Sam’s old room, things from stained glass windows to charcoal drawings to a sewing machine. Sam couldn’t hold back a smile how Dean curiously let his fingers flit over her supplies and looked with awe at all the things she created. Anna was a live flame, always moving, always changing.

A lot of times, Sam figured Dean could never settle down because he just didn’t do staying still too well. But maybe, two people that couldn’t stay still could manage to not stay still together.

—-

Like everything else that Cas was and did, the first time that they had sex Sam was caught completely surprised. They were hanging out at Cas’ apartment - their apartment. The birds were, thankfully, in their cages covered in blankets to sleep. Sam and Cas had been sharing a bottle, or two or three, of wine after dinner, playing the board game Risk – at which Cas beat Sam’s ass every single time.

Losing to Cas again, spectacularly, led to something Sam was good at, a wrestling match. Pinning down his boyfriend and rolling over the brightly colored layered rugs that covered every inch of the apartment, they were both red faced and laughing by the time they thunked against the wall in the hall. The hall that led to the bedroom. The first time that he staid the night, they cuddled together under the blankets. After he moved in, they slept in just their boxers.

They’d touched each other before. There were kisses and hand jobs and a little bit of humping, and sometimes Sam felt like he was a teenager again, all giddy nerves, but he figured that wasn’t such a bad thing. He always let Cas lead, because Cas seemed to be all over the place and when Sam couldn’t figure out what his moods meant, Sam figured it was best for Cas to let him know. So it never really went too far, and that was all right.

But there was something to Cas right now that he really, really hoped he was interpreting correctly. Warm hands were pushing eagerly up his shirt and gripping his hips, Cas mouthing at his neck and biting down hard here and there between all the kitten licks and little nibbles.

“Cas.”

“Mff.”

“Cas.”

“Nnngh.”

“This floor isn’t too comfortable.”

Cas finally disentangled from him enough to look up with blue eyes bright with mischief and a twist to his lips.

“So do you, want to find out what’s behind door number two?”

Sam couldn’t help bursting out laughing at the completely crass, immature joke. Cas didn’t even look offended, if anything he looked proud of himself.

“Yeah, I do.”

Pushing up and partly dragging Sam up, but partly misbalancing the both of them with inebriation, they stumbled together back to Cas’ room that was kind of their room, only Sam was still unpacking. Everything was a mish mosh riot of different colors and little baubles lined every surface. The bed was soft and comfortable when Sam was pushed down. He startled a little though, when Cas straddled his waist and pulled his arms above his head to tie to the headboard with flimsy scarves.

Sam could roll with that. Let Cas take what he wanted. So he gripped the headboard and made a note to not pull too hard on the scarves and rip anything. Cas made a show stripping at the front of the bed, lithe body swaying and lilting to the side when he got an arm stuck in a sleeve. Sam was taking in everything from the dense muscle of his arms to the slight ridges of his abs, but what Sam was really focused on, what he really liked seeing, was the smile on Cas’ face.

Spreading his legs when Cas started crawling back on the bed, Sam had made his assumptions for the fact he was on his back and tied up, but Cas just climbed on top of him straddling his thighs.

He was wild and sweet, wholly unpredictable as he rocked down onto Sam’s lap with gentle little rolls of his hips one moment, then bit a swathe of bruises down his chest the next, before crooning pure filth in his ear, then kissing him languidly. It made Sam’s head spin.

—-

Sam had accepted that he could never keep up with Cas. It was all right though, because Cas seemed content to run circles around him.

Sometimes they had sex, and sometimes they cuddled, and sometimes they listened to music while Cas tried to teach Sam how to crochet. Like everything else their sex life was erratic. There were times that Cas stretched out under Sam and wrapped up around him with arms and legs, clinging tight and pressing their bodies together like he never wanted to let go and there was so much affection in his eyes that Sam couldn’t look away. And there were times that Cas would bend him face first over the kitchen table and kick his legs apart, his voice rough and low, his hands pulling at Sam by the hair or the hips. Sometimes, they drove to the country for a picnic under the stars and spent the night kissing on a soft old blanket while the lightning bugs blinked in and out.

It worked because Sam took it all in stride, and he gave everything he could.

When Sam came home from work stressed or riled up and pissed, Cas knew what music to put on, or he would pull Sam into the shower, or lay him on the bed for a massage. And when Cas got into foul moods for absolutely no reason but the mercuriality of his temperament, Sam knew that a slice toast with honey and a cup of tea would hit the right spot, and he knew that leaving Cas alone in silence to think was what his boyfriend needed sometimes.

Cas seemed like incomplete pieces of different people that were glued haphazardly together to make someone almost whole. Sam liked getting to know all the different parts of Cas in their own way, piece by piece, and the more he looked the more he found little paths or breadcrumb trails from one part to the next, some little things that he would never think were interconnected but that made sense in the framework of Cas.

Sam didn’t mind if people thought his boyfriend was strange. He figured he had a few cracked pieces of his own too.


End file.
